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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

P. S. TULL, H. KUEHN 8v W. P. BEBES. PRooBss 0F AND MACHINE FOR THE USE 0F GOMPRESSBD AIR As A MOTIVB POWER.

No. 338,209. Patented ,Mfpffl 16, 1886.

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WLLG weatjme-M0701 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. S. TULL, H. KUEHN 8u W. P. BEERS.

PRGESSv 0E AND MACHINE POR4 TEE USE OP GOMPRESSED AIR AS A MOTIVE POWER.

No. 338,209. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

N. PETERS. Phawmhographnr. wnslungmn D. C.

E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SHALES TULL, HERMAN KUEHN, AND IVILLIAM FRANCIS BEERS, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS; SAID BEERS ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH EDMUND WALLIS, OF SAME PLAGE, AND SAID TULL AND KUEHN ASSIGNORS OF ONE-FOURTH THEIR RIGHT TO SAID VALLIS.

PROCESS OF AND MACHINE FOR THE USE OF COMPRESSE!) AIR AS A MOTIVE POWER.

.'SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,209, dated March 16, 1886.

Application filed July 1, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.'

Y Be it known that we, FRANK SHALEs TULL, HERMAN KUEHN, and WILLIAM FRANCIS BEERs, citizens of the United States, residing 5in Galveston city, in the county of Galveston,

being to compress air while the locomotive or" train is in motion, thus utilizing the movement of the train to compress the air.

The invention consists in the process of operating a locomotive, consisting ofthe followlowing steps, to wit: First, starting the locomotive by compressed air contained in a suitable reservoir adjacent to the locomotive, and, secondly, in continuing the operation for a limited time by means of compressed air, which is compressed by a piston driven by the movement of the train.

Our invention may be carried out by mechanism of various forms, hence we do not restrict ourselves to any particular construction of mechanism. We, however, showin the aecompanying drawings one form of devices well adapted for carrying out our process.

Figure l illustrates in perspective an apparatus embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, and Fig. 8 is an end view. A represents a truck or frame, consisting of parallel longitudinal bars c c a and cross-bars b.

B B and B represent standards rising from the longitudinal bars of the frame, and arranged opposite each other to support bearings C, within which is mounted the shaft or axle D of the truck-wheels E E.

It is our purpose in practice to duplicate the aircompressing mechanism, arranging one set of devices ou each side of the truck, to be operated, respectively, by the two wheels E E; but in the drawings only a single group of compressing devices is shown, and the following description of the one set will sufce.

F represents a base or platform secured to Serial No. 170,402. (No model.)

the forward end of the truck. Upon this platform is secured an air-pump cylinder, G, provided with a piston rod, H, said piston being driven from a ring, I, formed with spurgear teeth, and secured rigidly to the adjacent driving-wl1eel E, to revolve therewith. This ring-gear I meshes with a pinion, i, mounted upon a crank-shaft, J, to which the piston H is secured by pitmen hand links i.

Adjacent to the air-pump G is arranged, upon the truck A, a reservoir, J, for compressed air, said reservoir being connected by a flexible coupling, j, with the air-pump G. A second flexible coupling, j, extends from the reservoir to convey the compressed air to the locomotive.

The operation of the mechanism thus described is as follows: The truck A is coupled to the locomotive. Before starting the locov motive, the compressed-air reservoir J is charged from an independent supply source with compressed air, which is permitted, by means of the ordinary throttle-valves of the locomotive, to pass to the piston-cylinders of the locomotive. Thus the locomotive is started. Immediately after starting, the piston H of the air-pump will be operated by the revolution of the truck-wheels E E, to compress air within the cylinder G and supply it to the reservoir J. By this means the compressed air of the reservoir is constantly renewed. It will oi' course be impossible to avoid more or less waste of power, and we do not maintain that the reservoir is supplied as fast as emptied, but it will be apparent thatafter the locomotive is started from the original supply of compressed air its momentum will be maintained for a considerable time by the compressed air supplied from the pump.

It isdesigned to have at different points along the route of the roads, supply tanks or reservoirs for recharging the air-reservoir to afford power for starting.

It will be understood that both the air pump and reservoir are provided with suitable valves to insure their proper operation, and the reservoir is also provided with a gage.

We have found it advisable to also provide the air-pump withv valves to allow the piston to work freely without compressing the air while the locomotive is starting and until it acquires a fair momentum. Thus we avoid undue resistance to the starting.

In running at a high rate of speed there is danger of a too rapid operation of the piston of the pump, and a consequent failure in the supply of air. To overcome this, We employ a fan to force air to the pump to insure a sufcient supply of air.

Our purpose in this invention is to economize power.

We do not maintain that with our apparatus the locomotive can be driven without renewing the supply of power as it is exhausted. On the contrary, we have explained above that the air-reservoir is to be recharged at intervals. Moreover7 we provide against the continuous operation of our air-compressing apparatus, for, under some circumstances-as in starting, or on steep grades of road-their operation would not be practicable. However, it will be apparent that where the locomotive has acquired a great momentum-as in running downgrade-our apparatus can be thrown into operation, and thus be made to store the power which would otherwise be Wasted.

We are aware that heretofore compressed a1r has been employed as motive power for starting horse-cars and for driving other vehicles; hence we do not attempt to broadly claim the application of compressed air to a car or vehicle.

The distinguishing features of our method are, that we start by means of compressed air from a reservoir previously charged 'from a supply-source independent of our air-pump, and continue our operation from two sources of power--viz., from our air-pump and from independent supply-stations.

WTe claiml. The combination, with a truck or frame, of hanged wheels adapted to travel on a railroad-track, an air-pump cylinder supported on said truck, and a piston connected to a crank-shaft, a gear-pinion, and a gear-ring rigidly secured upon one of the truck-wheels, concentric therewith, and a compressedair reservoir provided with an outlet-pipe, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the air-pump and its piston and operating-crank, of a cogged ring secured rigidly to one of the truck-wheels, substantially as described.

FRANK SHALES TULL. HERMAN KUEHN. VILLIAM FRANCIS BEERS.

'Vitnesses:

A. W. SAMUELs, I. CHOVENBERG. 

